sooner; soonest
1
: without undue time lapse : before long
soon after sunrise
2
: in a prompt manner : speedily
as soon as possible
the sooner the better
no sooner said than done
3
: in agreement with one's choice or preference : willingly
I'd just as soon walk as drive
4
archaic
: before the usual time
5
obsolete
: at once : immediately
Usage of Safe
Both "drive safe" and "drive safely" are acceptable. Flat adverbs, as adverbs without -ly are called, are common in English; examples include soon in "see you soon" and fast in "time goes so fast." Adverbial safe functions in the same way these do.
Examples of soon in a Sentence
We will soon be making changes.
The soonest I can get there is tomorrow.
When is the soonest possible date of delivery?
The audience soon realized that it wasn't a stunt.
She found a job soon after graduation.
How soon can you finish the job?
The sooner you finish your homework, the sooner you can go outside and play.
I will let you know as soon as possible.
I'll get there as soon as I can.
Recent Examples on the Web
And isn’t that about to become the defining ingredient of all future Hall of Fame voting, sooner than later?
—
Jayson Stark, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
The Canadians scored twice in a minute soon after, with goals by Laura Stacey and Sarah Fillier prompting the Czechs to pull starting goalie Julie Pejsova for Michaela Hesova.
—John Wawrow, Twin Cities, 10 Feb. 2026
The museum hosted the crew, who interviewed Grogan and will soon release a piece documenting Gilien’s life and work.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 10 Feb. 2026
Americans have long lamented the high cost of health insurance, and the situation will soon get worse.
—Chris Pope, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soon
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Jayson Stark, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
The Canadians scored twice in a minute soon after, with goals by Laura Stacey and Sarah Fillier prompting the Czechs to pull starting goalie Julie Pejsova for Michaela Hesova.
—John Wawrow, Twin Cities, 10 Feb. 2026
The museum hosted the crew, who interviewed Grogan and will soon release a piece documenting Gilien’s life and work.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 10 Feb. 2026
Americans have long lamented the high cost of health insurance, and the situation will soon get worse.
—Chris Pope, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soon
Cite this Entry
“Soon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soon. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
soon
adverb
ˈsün 
especially New England ˈsu̇n
1
: before long : without delay
soon after sunrise
2
: in a speedy way
as soon as possible
3
archaic
: before the usual time
4
: by choice
would as soon do it now
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